Thousands bathe in Yamuna on Bhai Dooj

Vrindavan, 2017.10.21 (VT): Today (kartik shukla dwitiya) is a special celebration for brothers and sisters known as Bhai Dooj or Yama Dwitiya. According to legend, once upon a time on this day the god of death Yamraj visited his sister, the river goddess Yamuna. Yamuna served her brother so lovingly during his visit that Yamraj gave a blessing that if brothers and sisters bathe together in the Yamuna River on this day, they will never enter his realm (the underworld).

Hundreds of thousands of devotees bathe in the Yamuna River on this day in Vrindavan and Mathura. Special security arrangements were made in advance to handle the influx of bathers. The ghats along the river have been equipped with wooden bars for people to hold onto whilst bathing, and boats with lifeguards patrolled the sacred waters in Mathura at Vishram Ghat, Bengali Ghat, Swami Ghat, and Yamunapar.

P.C. Anjana Aggarwal

Near the ghats, barricading was done to control traffic and illegal encroachments were removed ahead of the event. Temporary changing rooms for women were provided.

Additionally, almost 1,500 cusecs of water was released from dams upstream to facilitate bathing. The district magistrate of Mathura Shri Arvind Malappa Bangari said that the security of the bathers is of utmost importance and every precaution was being taken to ensure their safety.